Grainnet

Written by Barb Selyem Photos by Bruce Selyem

Nearly 6,000 wood grain elevators towered above the Canadian prairies in the 1930s; now there are less than 1,000.

At one time, small towns prospered from the tax revenues of two, three, and sometimes more grain elevators; now scattered concrete monoliths stand isolated along the railroad tracks outside town limits.

Competing grain companies used to distinguish their elevators by painting them bright colors; now, painted steel equipment and corporate signage decorate unpainted concrete.

Canada’s prairie landscape has changed dramatically, particularly in the last 20 years. In the 1990s it was said that for every new concrete facility built, eight to 15 old wood ones would be torn down. The few that remain still have their original owners, some have new owners, and others are simply abandoned.

Goodeve, SK

With its vibrant orange metal siding and yellow roof, there is no mistaking that the last elevator in Goodeve is a Pioneer.

Nearly 30 years ago, when Allan Maystrowich came to manage, there were six wood elevators in and around Goodeve. All but two of those have been torn down.

Allan, who now manages for Pioneer in Springside, says, “The Goodeve elevator is still in good shape, and the CN rail line is still active. We haven’t heard any plans about changing the way we do business there.”

With a smile, he continues, “As long as the key fits in the door, you know you have a job that day.”

Pioneer first established its presence in Goodeve in the early 1950s, when it acquired an elevator from the Inter-Ocean Grain Co. That original elevator is gone now.

In addition to steel bin storage, Pioneer’s existing facility includes a crib house moved from Lorlie, SK, in 1979 and an annex moved from Hubbard in 1982.

According to Allan, “Twenty years ago it was feasible to move wood houses that were in good shape. Now it’s better to build new, as the old elevators are too small and too slow. Pioneer is very conscientious about safety and maintenance. They keep their facilities in good operating order.”

Waitville, SK

Augustus Searle founded the Searle Grain Co. in 1921. In 1967, when Federal Grain Ltd. bought the company, Searle had 459 elevators on the Canadian prairies.

Now, as layers of paint peal and fade from the sides of many old elevators, the ghost of “Searle” is beginning to reappear under the names of other companies.

The Searle name on the elevator at Waitville has never been painted over. Wanda and Ed Oleniuk, the current owners believe, as do others, that it is the last Searle elevator on the Canadian prairies.

Ed dreamed of owning the 1929 vintage elevator since he hauled his first load of grain there in 1955.

When Ken Getz, the previous owner, offered it for sale in 2000, Ed Oleniuk could not resist buying it.

Idleness and vandals took their toll, but Ed is convinced he can restore the old structure to working condition.

He says, “There is a lot of work to do. Right now, I’m repairing the walkway, the drive, and the exterior, but the inside needs a lot of attention too. The old leg is in sad condition, and the original gas engine that provided power was moved to a museum in Birch Hill, SK.

Ed purchased the elevator property from the Canadian Pacific Railroad, which had removed its tracks in 1999. He will leave the elevator where it was built. He hasn’t decided whether he will use the elevator for his farm storage or simply restore it as part of the town’s heritage.

Whitkow, SK

Nowadays when the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool sells an elevator, one of the terms of sale is that the new owners must remove all Pool insignia. That hasn’t always been a stipulation. Though the paint has faded, one can still read the original signage on the 1933 red wood-sided elevator at Whitkow, SK.

It reads “Saskatchewan Pool;” “Pool #47;” and advertises, “USE POOL CO-OP FLOUR.”

There used to be three elevators in Whitkow, but a Federal and a Searle elevator burned in 1968.

In 1972-73, the Canadian Pacific Railroad discontinued service and removed its tracks.

Even without local competition, operating the Whitkow elevator was unfeasible without rail service. The Pool sold to Ray Ewanchuk in 1977.

Ray, 52, has been using the elevator for farm storage the last 26 years. He says with pride, “The elevator is in good shape and still operates exactly as it was built. The wood leg and manlift are original equipment. So is the engine that powers the leg, though I did have to change the engine block.

“The only electricity is for lights. There used to be a 1950s frame annex on the east side, but I tore that down in 1977 and used the lumber to build my house.”

LeRoy, SK

Delwyn Jansen knows all about the history of the four elevators that once stood at LeRoy, SK. He has documented their lineage dating back to 1920, when the Saskatchewan Cooperative Elevator Co. and the State Elevator Co. built the first two.

He has information on each of the grain companies that operated here, and he can list every significant elevator event including dates of construction, dates of acquisition, dates of remodeling, and dates of demolition. These days Delwyn has a lot less recordkeeping to do since there is only one LeRoy elevator left.

It was built by the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool in 1962 and, though relatively new, had recently been earmarked for demolition. Possibly in response to public indignation, and perhaps to create some revenue, the Pool began offering some of the targeted elevators for sale.

The sales contract stipulated that the new owners must market their grain through the Pool system.

Midway Cooperative Agri Service, a retail cooperative, was already established in LeRoy, when the elevator was offered for sale in 2001. A group of Midway’s farmer-members decided they wanted to keep LeRoy’s last remaining elevator. They bought it, which gave them access to the Canadian Pacific Railroad, and the elevator at Englefeld, SK, which gave them access to the Canadian National.

Since all grain is marketed through the Pool, there are no managers, and farmers who want to store grain simply rent space from Midway Co-op.

Landis, SK

A farmer’s movement began in Canada in the early 1900s, in which farmers united to form cooperatives, where collectively, they could control how their grain was handled, stored, marketed, and shipped.

One hundred years later, there has been a similar movement in Landis, SK. Farmers united to purchase the 1973 Saskatchewan Wheat Pool elevator that had been scheduled for closure. Joe Scott of Landis relates this story. “Two or three years ago the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, which had been closing and demolishing elevators throughout the province, notified us that it was not economically feasible to keep the Landis elevator open,” he says.

“Many of the farmers around Landis who were on the local Pool committee did not agree. We felt we had a viable business and that our community needed an elevator.

“When the closure and sale was announced, 10 of us got together with the idea of buying the business.

“We canvassed other farmers in the area, and about 45 of us, the Landis Producer Co-op, bought the elevator in 2001.

“To avoid being forced to market grain through the Pool system, we had to pay a higher price, but we were able to raise the money through our $1,000 membership fee and loans.

Joe continues, “Last year was tough as we had a terrible drought. This year was average. We were nervous about making the commitment, but we’re not foolish. We know what we are doing. “As a small grain facility, we can guarantee to our customers where our grain comes from. We kept a few jobs in our community, and we have progressive ideas about our future.

“Eventually, we hope to get into processing, and that would be possible with the right customer connections in the states.”

Handsworth, SK

From 1924 until September 2003, there were two wood elevators in Handsworth—one built by the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and one by United Grain Growers (UGG).

When the railroad discontinued service to Handsworth in 1981, UGG (which had owned both elevators since 1969) sold the Pool elevator to farmer Joe Szobonskie and the UGG elevator to farmer Dennis Smith.

The Szobonskie family used the Pool elevator until four or five years ago. Dennis Smith never used the UGG elevator again.

By 2003, both buildings had deteriorated beyond repair.

On the afternoon of Sept. 26, Leonard Pocock, who had lived in Handsworth as a child, drove by the elevators, just as he had done nearly 80 years before, during their construction.

The old white UGG elevator had burned the week before leaving behind a pile of tangled steel, spouts, augers, and chunks of concrete.

“The “new” elevators were great for area farmers who no longer had to make day-long trips by team and sleigh to Stoughton or Forget, SK.

“Then in 1934, when drought and grasshoppers were so bad, nothing grew here even for the cattle to graze, most families including mine moved away.”

Though a handful of families still live in Handsworth, there are no businesses left, and most of the buildings are abandoned.

The Pool elevator has no useful future except to the artist, photographer, and writer who want to capture its past.

Barbara and Bruce Selyem are directors of the Country Grain Elevator Historical Society. For more information, contact the society at 406-388-9282; e-mail:bselyem@country-grain-elevator-historical-society.org.

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